1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image coding apparatus and method, an image decoding apparatus and method, and a program. In particular, sense of discomfort or sense of obscurity generated in the image which is caused by the post-quantization is suppressed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Up to now, as an image compression system, a system called JPEG2000 or JPEG XR (Joint Photographic Experts Group eXtended Range) is used with which an image with a high quality and a high gradation can be obtained even when a compression ratio is increased. Also, an image decoding apparatus that performs a decoding on the image compressed in the above-mentioned system is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-260539 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-204357.